herself otherwise than civil, though she was always longing to bring
in some more deferential person in his place, and, whenever illness
interfered with his duties, she spoke largely to her friends of the
impropriety of a man's undertaking what he could not perform.

One of her reductions had been the economising the third curate,
while making the second be always a neophyte, who received his title
for Orders, and remained his two years upon a small stipend.

The change last Easter, which had substituted a deacon for a priest,
had fallen heavily on Mr. Underwood, and would have been heavier
still, but that the new comer, Charles Audley, had attached himself
warmly to him. The young man was the son of a family of rank and
connection, and Lady Price's vanity was flattered by obtaining his
assistance; but her vexation was proportionably excited by his
preference for the Underwood household, where, in truth--with all its
poverty--he found the only atmosphere thoroughly congenial to him in
all the parish of St. Oswald's.

Speedily comprehending the state of things, he put his vigorous young
shoulder to the wheel, and, full of affectionate love and admiration
for Mr. Underwood, spared himself nothing in the hope of saving him
fatigue or exertion, quietly gave up his own holidays, was always at
his post, and had hitherto so far lightened Mr. Underwood's toil,
that he was undoubtedly getting through this summer better than the
last, for his bodily frame had long been affected by the increased
amount of toil in an ungenial atmosphere, and every access of cold
weather had told on him in throat and chest attacks, which, with
characteristic buoyancy, he would not believe serious. He never
deemed himself aught but 'better,' and the invalid habits that crept